The holiday season also happens to be flu season. But the flu isn't the only thing that could be making your child sick. From shared germs in the classroom to their afterschool snacks, there are many things that could be impacting your child's health.
To help you keep your kids healthy during this sickly time of year, consider the following tips you can use to keep your children happy and healthy.
- Go over proper hand washing techniques. It's easy to assume that your child continues to wash their hands the way you taught them the first time. But sometimes kids will go back to the way they used to wash their hands when they're not at home. At the start of the school year, and during flu season, review proper hand washing techniques with your child. This will help them prevent spreading germs.
- Review sneezing etiquette. You may have taught your child to cover their mouth when they sneeze. But in the heat of the moment, your child might forget and sneeze into their hands rather than their arm. To help prevent spreading germs like the common cold and flu, review proper sneezing etiquette with your kids.
- Make afternoon snacks organic. If your child is already eating organic snacks, that's great. Organic foods are required by the USDA to meet strict government standards regulating how they're grown, handled, and processed. This makes them healthier snack choices for your child.
- Include antioxidant-rich foods in their lunches. Antioxidants like vitamins E and C help to prevent illness including chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Antioxidant-rich foods include blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, dark chocolate, spinach, artichokes, beans, pecan nuts, beetroot, kale, apples, carrots, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, red cabbage, and more. Many of these foods are also great for your child's teeth, reducing their need for future teeth whitening or braces, which 4 million people in the U.S. wear.
- Keep the humidity level steady in your home. Upper-respiratory infections are the number one most common reason for visits to the doctor's office in the United States. During the winter months, it's easy for your home to lose humidity. Dry air can cause respiratory problems like bronchitis, nosebleeds, sinusitis, and worsened asthma. To prevent these ailments, keep your home's humidity levels between 40% to 50%.
The winter months bring their own fair share of sickness including the flu, the common cold, and respiratory ailments. By following the tips above, you can reduce your child's risk of getting sick this season.
